Gender Differences in Patellar Positions among the Korean Population

Abstract

The various factors related to the morphometric characteristics of patella make it difficult to produce a standard interpretation of their respective values. A total of 1423 patients participated in this work. The distribution of Insall–Salvati ratios was investigated, and the upper and lower limits of two standard deviations were used to define the patellar alta and baja. An additional method was used, where 2.5% at each end of the distribution was defined as patellar alta and baja. Ratios in the females and males were 0.92 ± 0.14 and 0.87 ± 0.14, respectively. The ratios were considerably higher in females than in males (p < 0.05). Ratios defined for patellar alta and baja were 1.19 and 0.68 for females and 1.13 and 0.58 for males, respectively, when two standard deviations were used. Ratios defined for patellar alta and baja were 1.22 and 0.66 for females and 1.15 and 0.59 for males, respectively, when the extreme 2.5% method was used. No considerable differences in the patellar alta and baja were observed between the two methods. Patellar alta and baja were determined in ratios of more than 1.20 and less than 0.64, respectively. No significant differences in the patellar alta and baja were observed between the genders in the Korean population. Additionally, two standard deviations of the Insall–Salvati index are recommended for defining patellar alta and baja for the Korean population. However, we recommended analyzing the histogram distribution for the population, followed by an analysis of the patellar alta and baja.

Keywords

• knee
• patellar alta and baja
• magnetic resonance imaging